The Birds of Polly Hill Arboretum

Polly Hill Arboretum is known and revered as a "horticultural and botanical landmark." As mentioned on their website, the not-for-profit institution is "devoted to the cultivation and study of plants".

A widely known secret of the arboretum is that it is home, habitat and stop-over for a wide variety of birds as well. Trees and birds.... hmmm. Walks in the arboretum reveal not just sightings but an aural landscape. In spring, particularly in May as the trees are budding and flowering, Warblers, Cardinals, Orioles and many other species can be heard. Year round the presence of such a wide variety of birds gives another kind of wonder and depth to the experience at Polly Hill.

The following list of 126 bird species combines the observations of Julian Hill, Caitlin Jones, Allan Keith, E. Vernon Laux, Richard H. Pough, Maggie and Ed Sibert, and Dorcas Ward.

This list is courtesy of Polly Hill Arboretum, and additions of species and corrections to this list are appreciated and encouraged.

Red-throated Loon — Spring and Fall transient
Common Loon — Spring and Fall transient
Double-crested Cormorant — Spring to Fall
Great Blue Heron — occasional fly-over
Green backed Heron — occasional fly-over
Black-crowned Night Heron — occasional fly-over
Canada Goose — occasional fly-over
Wood Duck — occasional fly-over
Mallard — occasional fly-over
Gadwall — rare fly-over
Hood Merganser — rare fly-over
Black Vulture — vagrant
Turkey Vulture — frequent fly-over
Osprey — regular fly-over Spring to Fall
Northern Harrier — occasional fly-over
Sharp-shinned Hawk — Spring and Fall
Cooper's Hawk — occasional fly-over
Red-tailed Hawk — regular fly-over
American Kestrel — Spring and Fall transient
Merlin — Spring and Fall transient — rare Winter
Peregrine Falson — rare seasonal fly-over
Ring-neck Pheasant — rare visitor
Northern Bobwhite — rare visitor